Character Analysis of Brutus from Hamlet Essay

Character Analysis- Marcus Brutus

The play Julius Caesar may mark the death of Caesar, yet the one who faced true tragedy was Marcus Brutus. Brutus was a powerful and highly respected official who was fully supported by the people of Rome. He was an honorable man who had nothing but pure intentions for the good of Rome and was seen by the people as a very stoic person. Brutus life is truly tragic however because as a man of high birth he had both honor and wealth, yet because he was too loyal to Rome, he had to kill his best friend Caesar and end his own life to save his own honor. For these reasons, Marcus Brutus is the tragic hero in the play according to the criteria of Aristotle.

Marcus Brutus is a tragic hero because he was a man of honor who held very high status in Rome. Brutus status comes from a long line of royal blood and from how he is highly regarded by the people of Rome for his deeds and devotion. In Act I, Cassius asks a fellow conspirator, Cinna, for a favor that will aid in converting Brutus: take this paper and look you lay it in the praetors chair, where Brutus may but find it (Act I, sc.3: 151-153). Since Brutus sits in a praetors chair, it means he himself is a man of high status because only elected magistrates could have such seats in the republic. Thus, Brutus fulfills the criteria of being of a man of high birth and status for a tragic hero.

Brutus, on several occasions, suffers due to his tragic flaw. As an honorable man himself, Brutus believes that everyone is as honorable and trustworthy as he is and in result he becomes too gullible and trusting of others. Also, Brutus flaws include his overwhelming loyalty to his country which he values above all. In Act V, right before Brutus take his own life by plunging himself onto a sword, he says: My heart doth joy that yet in all my life I found no man but he was true to me (Act V, sc.5: 38-39). Brutus dies believing that never in his life has anyone lied to him in any way. Yet, this characteristic stands as Brutuss tragic flaw because it has caused him to make many unwise decisions due to his ignorance of the true situation resulting is his own suffering. Since Brutus was blinded by his honor and beliefs, he never saw how he was manipulated or how his trust in others led to his downfall. In result, his tragic flaws further show why he is worthy of being the tragic hero.

Some people may argue that Brutus is not a tragic hero because his character does not meet Aristotles criterion of creating fear and pity in the audience. They may argue that even though he died, his reputation was secured and therefore he is even honored in death which creates an opposite feeling toward the audience. Brutus secured reputation is shown when Antony calls the departed Brutus, This was the noblest Roman of them all (Act V, sc.5: 75). However, Brutus death in fact actually does cause fear and pity in the audience because of his ignorance towards the way he was used. Right before Brutus plunges himself onto a sword, he says: My heart doth joy that yet in all my life I found no man but he was true to me (Act V, sc.5: 38-39). Brutus announces how no one he has ever know been untrue to him. Yet, pity is created by these last words because the audience sees how he has died so innocently not seeing how untruly the people around him have treated him. Brutus only intentions were to preserve Rome, and the way he died in trying to further his intentions only makes his death more pitiful and tragic. For these reasons, Brutus should qualify as the tragic hero.

In conclusion, Marcus Brutus generally follows Aristotles criteria of a tragic hero in terms of being an honorable man of high birth with many tragic flaws that eventually lead to his death. Some may say that he does not qualify as a tragic hero because of his secured reputation in the end, yet still pity is felt by the audience due to how Brutus died believing that no one has ever been untrue to him. Aside from this, Brutus is more than applicable as a tragic hero because of his high nobility and status in society and because of his tragic flaws that led him to make unwise decisions that would eventually result in his suffering. Brutus therefore tragically falls from being a man of high respect and nobility to a man who must end his own life to save his honor. For these reasons, Marcus Brutus qualifies as the tragic hero in Shakespeares play Julius Caesar according to Aristotles criteria.